The Queen's Blessing
by ShinyRedPenny
Summary: Katherine sees her empty womb as a sign from God.
1. Chapter 1

Katherine lay in the birthing bed, tears trailing silently down her cheeks as they took away the bundle of bloody sheets that held what had become of her babe. The silence in the chamber was eerie, but the queen was glad for it. She couldn't handle it if any of her ladies spoke to her at this moment. She couldn't face their simpering words or their eyes upon her-swimming in sympathy. This was the seventh time Katherine had thought she would be giving England it's heir...the third time she was able to carry the babe to term...the second time the babe had not lasted past infancy. At least with her little Harry she had had a few months with him. She hadn't even been able to hold this one. The moment the frail girl had slipped from her mother's body, the physician had struggled to keep her breathing. After a few hours of frantic efforts, Katherine's little princess had gone to God and left her mother lonelier than ever.

Why had God forsaken her? She had spent so much of her life on her knees before her prie dieu, begging him and the Heavenly Mother to send her a child. A strong, strapping baby boy who would be a balm to her bruised soul after all these lost babes, and to appease her demanding husband. She had fasted, worn a hair shirt, had given alms to the poor, had done everything she had ever been taught to do...So why was it that she continued to fail in this duty?

Finally one of her ladies, her most trusted friend, Maria de Salinas, dared to approach her. Her warm, steady hand placed on her shoulder made Katherine jump and only curl further into herself, another broken sob escaping her. "Your Majesty?" Maria murmured, but Katherine only continued to shake slightly, not wanting any of these English snakes see her brought so low.

Katherine barely registered as Maria shooed to onlooking women away and when she finally peeked out from behind her hands, all she saw was her friend looking at her with concern.

"Catalina, my darling, you must rise." Maria slipped into their native Spanish. "Come...let me wash you." The last of her Spanish ladies took her hands and pulled her into the sitting position before turning to grab a warm, wet cloth. Katherine allowed Maria to wipe away the sweat from her brow and the tears from her cheeks before the girl pulled the queen to her feet and towards the steaming tub that had been prepared.

Though her muscles screamed in protest at being pulled from the bed so soon after giving birth, the moment her skin was submerged in the hot water, the pain faded. But no amount of soothing water or scented oils could wash away the pain in her heart. She felt like an utter failure. She had been told since as long as she could remember that it was her duty to marry the Prince of Wales, become England's queen, and to deliver and raise a son to take his father's place on the English throne.

But here she was, years later, with no prince to show for. Out of seven pregnancies, only her little Mary lived. Mary was her darling and Katherine loved her fiercely, but she knew in her heart that a girl was not enough. As Henry never failed to remind her, England was no Castile and her Mary was no Isabella. The lords of her kingdom would never stand behind a ruling queen and once Henry was gone from this world, Mary's power would be usurped and at best she would remain as a figurehead. At worst...No, Katherine would not put her daughter in danger. There _must_ be a prince to carry on the Tudor dynasty. But if God would not grant her a living son...what was she to do?

She had heard the whispered rumors. She knew that Henry's patience was at it's end and that in his desperation he was exploring ways to replace her. Not only did the thought break her heart, it wounded her pride as well. That after 15 years of almost blissful marriage that her husband would seek to set her aside set her temper aflame and yet at the same time left her colder than these English winters. She had loved Henry in her own way and she had believed that he had been in love with her still. To think that the little boy who had greeted her cheerily at the shore when she had first come to this country would now be plotting her downfall took the air from her lungs.

Unbidden, memories of better times flitted through her mind. _Sir Loyal Heart_... if Katherine were a lesser woman she would scoff at the irony. There was nothing loyal or steadfast about Harry's heart. Raised as the second son, never expected to carry the weight of the crown, he was not taught discipline or restraint like his older brother. That harpy, Margaret Beaufort had treated him like her little pet-indulging his every whim. Henry's natural Tudor charm had let him skate through troubles even as he grew. But now the carefree, charming prince had turned into a spoiled, narcissistic king. And a man who had never been told 'no' in his life did not take disappointment well. And Katherine had become a disappointment to him. With every miscarriage, every year that passed without a prince in the cradle, that disappointment had grown and now her position was in danger.

As she soaked in the warm tub and allowed Maria to wash her hair, her mind whirled. Her mother had been a fierce and competent queen, but Katherine knew that she would much rather face a horde of Moorish savages than her own husband of many years. No, Isabella of Castile was a formidable woman but she had never had to consider her husband an enemy. Ferdinand had practically been wrapped around his wife's finger. And while some had said the same of Henry in the first few years of their marriage, no one would say so now. Katherine was lucky if Henry even tried to keep his mistresses a secret, not that he did a very good job. She knew his favorite at the moment was little Bessie Blount-a sweet girl, but empty headed and unlikely to hold his attention for very long. A shame. If Henry was going to set Katherine aside, she would much rather it be a simple headed English woman than a foreign princess that would push for any child of Katherine's to be removed from the line of succession.

Maria snapped the queen from her furious planning as she pulled her from the cooling water and wrapped her in a drying sheet. Soon she was swathed in a soft, linen bedrobe and was returned to the feather bed that Maria had made with fresh sheets. Laying where less than an hour ago she had been gripped with agony and despair, now she laid quietly, her mind racing. Maria murmured good wishes and left her alone, but Katherine barely registered her leaving.

She could read the writing on the walls. She knew that her last hope had laid with this final pregnancy. She knew in her heart that her womb would never quicken again and that without a male heir, her time as queen was limited. But she would not allow her daughter's birthright to be taken from her. She would not allow that grasping snake Wolsey to push some French agenda. Katherine would wait and she would watch and she would play her cards well. She knew what Henry liked in women and she would find a girl who's loyalty was beyond question and give her a queen's blessing to ensnare the king. Once Henry was desperate, Katherine would gracefully stand aside...with some conditions. Katherine gripped her rosary tight, praying that this was the right choice. God had forbid male issue from their union for a reason. She would never understand why he would make her queen only to refuse to solidify her position, but perhaps it was all his plan. Perhaps He had taken her little princess only hours after birth to show her that this was the step she needed to take.

Katherine allowed a few more tears to track down her freshly washed face for the daughter she was never even able to name. She would take this sign from God and do what she could to make sure that the next queen would provide for her Mary. Her daughter's future must become her upmost priority.


	2. Chapter 2

Katherine waited patiently. She continued to play her role as gracious queen, loving mother, and devoted wife, but she forced herself to watch the court in a way she had never had to before. She had been raised to be a queen-ruling over her court with grace and superiority. They were to be there for her pleasure-meant to support and surround the royal family. To entertain her. But now, she saw these courtiers as they truly were: hunters. And she was a great doe they all had their arrows pointed towards. Without a prince in the cradle, she was not solid on her throne and they all watched for her to slip and fall. All her ladies had their eyes on her crown.

And yet Katherine knew that her salvation lay in one of their hands. The only thing that she had to prevent would be a foreign match. No royal bride would allow for her Mary to take precedence over her own children. And Katherine wouldn't even trust her nephew to fight for his cousins rights if she were up against his own granddaughter in the line of succession. And lord knew that French braggart would not tolerate Mary to come before a child of his own blood. No...her husband would have to have an English bride. One that would not have the grounds to demand that Mary be removed from her place as Henry's heir until a son came along.

But that would be easy to arrange. She knew her husband-he was a passionate man. It would be so simple to wait until a woman came along that could captivate him. No one had ever said no to Henry before. It wouldn't matter if that snake, Wolsey, didn't approve- Henry would have what he wanted. She knew the thought was already in his head. All it would take was the right girl. This was going to be the hardest thing Katherine had ever endured. She had survived the painful years of struggling in poverty before Henry had saved her. She had survived Margaret Beaufort's enmity. She had survived the raiding Scots. She had outlasted them all. But she knew she would not outlast this. Not with her own husband as her enemy.

Henry did not hate her. Not yet. While it was obvious he did not love her as he used to, he still cared for her. She was his wife of over two decades, the mother of his child. They had been partners through all of the trials and tribulations of his early reign. But he was disappointed in the lack of an heir and he blamed her. Especially since the Blount girl had given him a son. It broke her heart to see how far their love had fallen, but she knew she must be resilient. She loved Henry as a wife should, but she loved Mary more. Now that her hope of a son was gone, she knew that she must do whatever it took to protect her daughter. And if that meant watching her husband fall in love with another...even if that meant encouraging it...she would do it. For Mary.

So as time ticked by, as beautiful woman after beautiful woman was paraded in front of her husband, Katherine watched. She watched Henry, full of frustration and disappointment and conflict chase after this girl or that. All these little preening peacocks tripped in their rush to offer themselves up to their sovereign. It made her sick. These silly girls would not be able to fill her shoes. Would not be able to protect Mary. Luckily, it seemed as if Henry thought the same, for none held his interest for long.

The girl that was warming his bed now, the little Boleyn girl, was his latest conquest, but Katherine's experienced eye could already see her husband losing interest. The Lady Mary was a sweet thing, but Katherine could not see her lasting much more than a fortnight now that they had returned from France. Her biggest draw was the French king's attention. And now that Henry had brought her back from France, now that he had stolen his rivals trinket, the prize had lost its shine. It was almost amusing to see the looks on Sir Thomas' face as he strut around court. Ever since the man had been brought back from France, he had been walking on air. He had successfully brought about peace as ambassador, he had been granted the King's favor, and his daughter was placed in the queens household so that she could be accessible to the king. The man was so pompous, Katherine was looking forward to seeing him scramble once he realized that little Mary Carey was not capable of keeping Henry's interest.

As she gazed out at the swirling skirts from her place on the royal dais, she speculated which girl was next.

 **A/N: I know this is short! But I wanted to get** ** _something_** **out to you all and I needed a filler to set things up for the next step! Hope this comes as a relief to all those who were wondering if it was going to be a one-shot or if I was going to continue! Thank you all so much for your reviews!**


	3. Chapter 3

She stood regally, dressed in a gown of heavily embroidered purple silk with a rich, red velvet overcoat, and waited for the ambassadors to be announced. Her features were schooled into a cool mask of serenity, but inside her mind was racing. These ambassadors were her nephew's men and she would need their help if she were going to achieve safety for her beloved daughter.

Her husband was a changeable man-prone to loving whoever it was that had pleased him most recently. If it was not so tragic, Katherine would laugh to think that Henry had once fashioned himself 'Sir Loyal Heart'. A more fickle heart had not existed. For the most part, Katherine was pleased that he had turned from the French so quickly. It had been only a year or so since her little princess was all set to be shipped off to France as soon as she came of age, but now Henry's temper had him pulling from his French counterpart and seeking alliances elsewhere. And Henry's eye had fallen on Spain. But it meant that whatever peace that was created between the two countries would always be rocky. Henry had already proved himself a false friend. And while it gave Katherine a chance to be once again at peace with her home country, it worried her. If things were to go smoothly for her, she would need Charles' support. Without it, she would not put it past Henry to do whatever he could to dissolve their marriage when the time came-putting Mary at risk. But Charles would be hesitant to fully support England as long as it's king was so flippant of signed treaties.

She took a shaky breath and forced her shoulders to relax. She could hear the ambassadors approaching and she needed to present a solid, imposing figure. The ambassadors would meet with her husband in just a moment, but Katherine wanted to greet them personally. As Mendoza and Chapuys were ushered in, they swept into deep bows, doffing their caps and showing her the proper respect due to a foreign queen. But their smiles were broader than what propriety demanded and she knew they were truly pleased to see her. It brought a true smile to her own lips.

"I know you have an audience with the king," she began in fluent Spanish. "I just couldn't let you pass without seeing you." She smiled indulgently at the men.

"Your nephew, the Emperor, sends you his love and filial regards, always." Mendoza promised her and her lips quirked only higher.

"Tell him, if he loves me, he would write to me more often," she teased and both men chuckled good-naturedly. "But I am happy from the bottom of my heart that you are here and there is going to be a treaty." She stepped forward, bidding them to rise. Once she was close enough, she all but whispered to avoid the English spies all around them. Even speaking in a foreign language did not guarantee safety. "Just beware the Cardinal," she warned, keeping the feigned smile plastered to her lips. "Not all is well in England, my good sirs." She sees their blank, courtier smiles and knows that they take in her meaning. She presses a formal kiss on each of their cheeks and lets them enter the king's presence chamber.

Hopefully her nephew would be arriving on English soil in a month or two. She would take this time to plan her strategy. Her nephew would both be her strongest ally and her toughest obstacle. She would need him to support Mary and provide her with protection, but not go so far as to wish a new Spanish bride to take her place. If only there was a woman she could point to that Charles would accept as Henry's choice-one that could not be disputed. But it seemed that after the Boleyn girl was cast down, no new lady had stepped into her place. Katherine did have a few new ladies joining her service this week though, and she sincerely hoped that one among them would be the answer to her prayers to preserve Mary's position.

...

Having her nephew at court truly was such a gift. With Charles' watchful eyes upon him, Henry was the definition of a doting, respectful husband. He treated her with grace and kindness and with a level of attention that she had not enjoyed in years. But Katherine could see beneath the veneer of courtly love. Though their interactions had always remained warm, they lacked the heat that they had shared in their youth and even another monarch's watchful eyes could not reinvigorate that.

Yet having him at court still proved fruitful if only to remind her resentful husband and the snakes at court that Katherine still held some power on the playing field of European politics. That she was not a woman who could be thrown away without a care. That with one word from her, Charles would fight for her rightful place on the throne. It was imperative for Henry and especially his new sweetheart to know that it would only be through Katherine's good graces that they would succeed.

But would God answer her prayers and send someone with the intelligence and ambition to play this role? She had noticed how Henry's eyes had lingered on the dark haired maid this afternoon at the banquet. It had been the first time she had seen that look in a while. The girl was Thomas Boleyn's younger daughter, Anne, newly brought to court. Katherine could see why she had caught the king's attention. The girl looked nothing like her sweet, sunny sister nor the simple, preening English ladies that Henry was used to. Instead, she was dark and exotic, her pale eyes sharp and cutting. Katherine had not really paid her too much mind, but now she would sit back and observe.


	4. Chapter 4

This was it- Katherine could feel it in her bones. God was answering her prayers, sending her exactly what she needed. First, Katherine's nephew had been betrothed to her daughter cementing her future, and now it seemed her husband was ensnared. It took a few months for Henry's attentions to become clear, but by the time she caught him gazing longingly at the dark maiden, Katherine had a pretty good idea of who Anne Boleyn was. Her coloring made her stand out, but her sharp mind and wit made her truly unique. It was clear that Thomas Boleyn had brought his younger daughter to court to follow in her sisters footsteps-hoping for more success.

But where Mary Carey had clearly encouraged the king when he looked her way, Anne seemed to be playing a different game. She did not outwardly respond to Henry's intense gaze, but Katherine had seen how the girl would allow her own dark eyes to linger just a moment longer than necessary. Katherine could see that she knew how to inflame his desires, but that she would not be some simple affair. Henry was already enobling her family.

But God certainly was cutting it close. For Henry was enobling another-one that came as a great shock to Katherine.

She sat in her presence chamber, impatiently awaiting her guest. When that snake, Wolsey, was ushered in, she rose and stared down her nose at him imperiously. "I see his Majesty has made his bastard son a duke," she clipped, his disapproval obvious from her tone. "Does this mean that he is next in rank to His Majesty? Next in line to the throne?" Now her voice dipped into unconcealed anger. "Above my daughter?"

As always when in her presence, Wolsey carried himself with the smooth confidence and arrogance poorly covered by a veil of courtesy that her station demanded. She knew he did not care for her just as he knew she disliked him as well. But she was the queen, at least for the time being, and he unfortunately was the man her husband had entrusted much of the care of state to. And so when he looked at her with these conceited looks, as he was now, she was indignant.

"Yes. Technically. He is set above all others." She looked away, tamping down the rage and disbelief growing in her, but he was not finished. "Except for a legitimate son." He met her eyes and she felt the wind leave her lungs.

She was beset on all sides-alone against a thousand enemies. She knew that Henry was considering an end to their marriage. That he was so desperate for a son that he would set aside the years they had been together and start a new union-even if that meant throwing their beloved daughter down. But she had not considered this. That he would throw away Mary's rights for a uncontested bastard.

She took a deep breath and steeled herself against panic. "His majesty loves our daughter... he has shown it on many occasions. I cannot believe that he wishes to place his _bastard_ child above her!" Now she turned with suspicion to the man she hated most in this moment. "I do not believe that his majesty was personally responsible for this action," Wolsey fidgeted and glanced away, confirming her suspicions. But he was a fool to think that he would get away with this. A fool to treat Katherine of Aragon, daughter of Isabella of Castille, like she was powerless. "After all," she murmured, clutching onto her trump card. "Our daughter is engaged to the Emperor. My nephew." She felt a vengeful smile growing as the Cardinal turned away. But then he looked back at her with that same, falsely sympathetic curl of his lips.

"Then your majesty has not heard..." he stepped towards her, though she held her ground. "The emperor has married Princess Isabella of Portugal" he all but smirked as Katherine's smile died. "Apparently he decided it was not worth waiting for your daughter to grow up." Katherine felt her heartbeat slow and her lungs clench. Her legs weakened and she felt herself sway, just slightly. Wolsey kept speaking in that horribly condescending voice, but Katherine could not hear anything past the ringing in her ears.

It couldn't be true...her nephew would not have betrayed her like this. Just a few months ago, when she had hinted that not all was well between she and Henry, he had promised to always stand by her. He had taken Mary as his betrothed, telling her that his cousin and bride would never be denied her position as long as he had a say. Would he truly now throw the both of them away without a word of warning, leaving Katherine more vulnerable than ever? Tears threatened and she sent the Cardinal away with a flick of the hand before he could see them. As she watched his pompous back retreat panic flooded through her senses and she sank into her chair, grateful that her ladies gave her a wide berth.

She couldn't wait anymore-her nephew had just robbed her of that luxury. She was not completely powerless, not yet. But with every day, Henry's love and affection for her-and by extension, their daughter- waned. With this new betrayal, her bargaining power was weakening. Soon, Henry would make his move to set her aside and she must be ready.

She stood and stepped towards her ladies where they sat sewing, giving her a moment alone to process this devastating news. Her eyes settled on Lady Anne who looked back with curiosity.

"Mistress Boleyn, I would speak to you alone." Katherine spoke clearly, despite the lump in her throat. Her other ladies shot scandalized glances at each other before rising and leaving the two women alone. She was sure they were imagining quite the cat fight to ensue. After all, Henry had not been that subtle in his attentions and the gossip at court was already surging. Even Lady Anne seemed to be steeling herself for whatever chastisement they all expected from the queen.

"Please...come sit with me." Katherine sat on her fine wooden chair by the fire, trying to prepare herself for what she needed to do. "I would like to discuss something of import with you."

 **A/N: Up next, what you have all been waiting for!**


	5. Chapter 5

When the queen addressed her and asked to speak with her privately, Anne's heart had skipped a beat. She was not truly afraid of the older woman, she knew well there wasn't much the queen could do to her. She was not in danger of being dismissed, not when the king's attention was focused so solely on her. And Katherine was not the kind of mistress that would cause such a scene as to berate her for daring to steal her husband's love. But still...this was Katherine of Aragon, daughter to Isabella of Castile, the warrior queen who had conquered the Moors. Katherine of Aragon who had rode out to defend England from the invading Scots. Despite her father and uncles directives and despite how tempting the power of being the king's beloved had been, Anne had been wary of going against such a formidable woman. A woman that in another world would have been a subject of pure admiration.

Yet she kept her face serene and her back straight as she stood and followed the queen into her private chamber, ignoring the pack of jackals that whispered fiercely about what was sure to be a thorough upbraiding. She was determined that her rival would not see a hint of the apprehension she felt as she took a seat opposite her, forcing her hands to be still in her lap. She waited patiently for the queen to speak again, mentally running over her calm responses in her head should Katherine ask her about her relationship with her husband.

Katherine only gave her a slight, distracted smile in greeting before her face became solemn. "Mistress Boleyn, I believe that we can be honest with each other, can we not?" she waited for Anne to nod stiffly before continuing. "We are both women of intelligence-more so than most. Women who have found our way in this world run by men. There aren't many options for women like us. Too many find themselves unappreciated and scorned at best...tied to a pier and burned at worst. Men are terrified of women like us-clever and ambitious. We know what we want and we know how to get it. When I was a girl, I knew what I wanted. Everyone told me that it was impossible, but I kept my nerve and I kept my mind and I persevered above them all."

Anne listened to Katherine, finding herself in equal parts confused and entranced. Of course she had heard the story of the Spanish princess many times. Of how Katherine had been brought to England to marry the Prince of Wales, Arthur. Yet when God had taken Arthur, the princess' future had been thrown into uncertainty. It had been after years of neglect that the new King Henry had swept in to save her. Anne's mother had regaled her children many a night of stories of how the foreign beauty had captured the heart of the king and how he had rescued her from poverty and obscurity. It was quite the romantic ballad.

But what did she want? Was Katherine trying to tell Anne that some new mistress was not going to defeat her? That she had faced harder trials than the one Anne presented? Was she naïve enough to think that the lack of a son was something Henry could overlook? Katherine had failed and if she knew what was good for her, she would step aside.

"Whenever I was faced with a challenge, I thought about my mother-Isabella. She was a clever woman. As ambitious as they come. They tried to take her crown away from her as well. But she knew the place that God was calling her to and she fought for her crown. She changed everything for Castile and once she married my father, the two of them brought the world to heel. That was her purpose. And she raised me knowing mine: to unite Spain and England by coming here as a queen. To be mother to a brood of sons all who would all share Isabella's courage." Katherine paused and glanced away, steeling herself against what could have been. Anne shifted nervously, shooting a quick glance at the door. While this was not the conversation she had expected when Katherine had brought her into her chambers, she was unsure what the queen's end game was. If Katherine thought that she could reason with Anne, to make her see that her cause was a lost one, to try to dissuade her….

"I cannot give the king a son." Katherine's whispered words cut through the silence like a knife and the pain behind them were unmistakable. Anne's eyebrows shot up as her gaze swiveled back to the queen's grim face. She had never thought Katherine would openly admit this-especially to her. The queen had always been stubbornly regal, but now Anne saw the tears threatening to escape as she struggled to come to grip with her cold reality.

"But I have given him the most perfect princess that has ever walked; the most clever, obedient child a father could ever ask for. Mary would be a wonderful queen-she is Isabella born again. Henry can make no complaint against my daughter but one..." Katherine swallowed thickly, oblivious to Anne's deep discomfort. "But England is not Castile. I know these grasping lords will not tolerate a woman's rule. They will devour my beloved _hija_ and I cannot allow that to happen." Katherine's tone had grown passionate as she defended her daughter. "Had the Lord blessed me with a son…." She broke off wistfully, but then shook her head. "But He has not and will not." She affixed Anne with a steely glare laced with determination. "I need to protect my daughter myself. That is my purpose, Mistress Boleyn. And to do so, I must do things I would never thought to consider. Never thought I would have to stoop to. And to do what must be done, I need your help."

Anne gaped at the woman across from her before she remembered her place. Her mouth snapped shut and she appraised Katherine. "My help?"

"I plan to step aside and let my husband marry another in the hope of providing a prince for England, Mistress Boleyn." Anne's head spun, but she refused to show her shock. She stayed, rail straight and staring at her rival levelly. Katherine could not be allowed to see the hope that had jumped in Anne's heart.

Could it really be so simple? Could everything that Anne had prayed for come true, just like that? Having Katherine step aside would solve all her problems. She could marry the man she was steadily falling in love with-she would no longer have to play this façade with her family acting as if it was only ambition pushing her into Henry's arms. She could ascend, uncontested, to the highest office available to her. She could be mother to the next King of England by this time next year. All because this woman sitting before her had the grace enough to realize the writing on the wall.

But as just as Anne's dreams and hopes were soaring, Katherine brought her back to earth.

"But I have a price."


End file.
